The Florist
by Synergetic Prose
Summary: AU: Curtis keeps coming back to the same flower shop. (Shiro/Curtis, Curtashi Month prompts)


AN: For Curtashi AU Month, Florist

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The first time Curtis came here as a favor.

Veronica had a round two dinner with a potential love interest but had forgotten to pick up her order of flowers. She had called him up to grab them for her. Thankfully he wasn't on the road yet so he had answered or else he would have let it go to voicemail. The florist turned out to be fairly close to his office though parking was a hassle. He came into the shop tired and frankly a little cranky given how annoyed he was at the sound of the chiming bell announcing his arrival.

Then he saw _him_.

The man came through the curtain rear end first in tight black jeans and a very broad set of shoulders that were only made blatantly apparent by his white tank. Curtis' mind was completely blanked as this silver haired Adonis rotated around with a very large potted plant. He distinctly recalled seeing a smudge of dirt on his upper cheek and the man's very wide smile before his mind flooded him with the idea of leaning over and wiping that dirt from his handsome face.

"-ere for? Sir?"

"Uh," Curtis cleared his throat behind his hand. What was he here for again? "I ordered - no, sorry - my Veronica - _friend-_" he took a long breath in, "There's an order under Veronica that needs to be picked up."

"McClain right?"

"Yes."

"I just put them in the back fridge. Give me a sec."

"Ok."

Once the florist was out of view Curtis loosened his tie to breathe better.

* * *

The second visit was for Veronica.

She forgot her order again.

Curtis went in and fumbled around with his reason for visiting. Again. He was sure he'd done something bad in a past life to be this completely tongue tied. It wasn't like he hadn't spoken to good looking people before. His last date was only four months ago for crying out loud.

He took the flowers with a burning face.

He wanted to bury his head in one of the flower pots.

* * *

The third visit Curtis came by because he legit needed Mother's Day flowers.

But he went clear across town to get to the shop. Shiro was patient with him as he showed him their bouquet samples and told him the various meanings. As Shiro flipped the pages of the binder Curtis reached out to flip back to the previous page.

"Wait I -"

Their fingers bumped.

Curtis exe. ceased functioning for a good five seconds.

"Are you ok?"

"Y-Yeah. I'm...totally -" He nearly bumped into Shiro chest when he stepped back. Shiro had an apron on but still..."Actually, I'm not fine."

"Oh, do you need water or -"

"I need to retake my meds. _Allergy_ meds. Not head meds - not that there's anything wrong with if I _did_ need those - well maybe I - I'll go with your first suggestion for Saturday morning pick up," Curtis turned around as he patted his pockets. "Have you seen keys lying around?"

Shiro brought a hand up to cover his mouth then gestured with his other hand.

"The ones in your left hand?"

Oh god. "Yeah those. Hah. I usually have them in my right hand."

He walked.

"Curtis -"

He promptly tripped over the welcome rug and hit his chin on a bench.

"Ow!"

"Shit," Shiro was helping him up. "You split your lip. Let me go -"

"No! No, I'm fine. There's barely any blood."

Shiro let out an exasperated sigh as he fished out a tissue from his pocket. "Take this at least."

Curtis was wide eyed as Shiro put the tissue on the cut.

"Keep putting pressure until it stops," Shiro sternly, but gently ordered.

Curtis dazedly nodded as he took over. That...was kind of hot.

"We'll make the pick up for the later morning in case you need to go get that checked out."

Curtis nodded again. That was _definitely _hot.

"Curtis?"

"Hm?"

"Have a good night."

"Yeah. You too."

* * *

At age twenty seven Curtis was going through a second puberty.

That was the only explanation he could come up with. Because that was the last time he had crushed on someone so hard he was tripping and fumbling with his words. He wasn't a player. At all. But he _was_ able to ask someone out without making a fool out of himself. He was no stranger to flirting but with Shiro...

What the hell.

He took a long calming breath inside his car, checked his hair in the rear view mirror and then got out. Shiro was redoing the front display. The florist gave a wave. Curtis tripped on the sidewalk curb but managed to not fall on his face.

Oh god. He should just retreat.

No. Nononono. He could do this. He was a freaking adult.

He went through the front door. "Good evening Shiro."

"Hello Curtis. Glad to see that lip healed alright."

"Yeah. It did." Curtis followed Shiro to the front counter. "Is that an elm bonsai?"

Shiro blinked. "Yeah. A Chinese elm." He smiled widely as he trimmed it with tiny scissors. "Good eye."

"My friend has one so..."

"But you remembered."

Because of a certain cute florist. But Curtis merely shrugged.

"You need to make an order?" Shiro ventured.

"Uh not really."

"You can't 'kind of' order flowers." Shiro chuckled. "You either do or you don't."

"Well I'm not here to order flowers. It's you that I'm here to - oh god." Curtis winced when he realized why Shiro was frowning. "I'm not trying to order _you._" He put a hand up to his face and then restarted. "Could I buy you a drink sometime?"

Shiro hummed.

"Sorry, I'm still on duty."

"Ok," Curtis lifted his hands up complacently. "No problem. I just had to ask. I won't ask again."

"Well, my shift ends in five minutes. I could go after I lock up."

"Oh. Then you're ok..."

"Yeah," Shiro lightly laughed. He leaned over the counter on his forearms. "You're pretty cute."

"Ok," Curtis flushed. "I don't know how I feel about the word 'cute' but seeing as you're interest I'll take it. For now."

"Then we'll have to find a more suitable word for you."

Curtis swallowed at the gleam in Shiro's dark eyes.

"I need to lock up the back."

"Ok."

Curtis started following until Shiro turned back to him.

"Stay here," Shiro pointed at the chair behind the counter. "I need you to guard the front."

Oh, there he goes ordering again. But damn if Curtis didn't do what Shiro said without question. Curtis looked at the clock. There was one minute left. His leg bounced a little in impatience. He laughed at himself. He was usually so patient for good things. Shiro came back to the front to lock the door. He was flipping the sign to 'closed' when Curtis came up behind him.

"Wait. You needed to lock the door from the outside."

"Did I?"

Oh.

Curtis wasn't the only one going through second puberty. That was very clear the moment Shiro's lips touched his. Curtis surged forward, pressing him against the glass door. He wasn't usually like this. Oh god, he wasn't. But there was something about Shiro that made fire flood his veins. His kiss was hungry. Shiro accepted it without missing a beat.

"My apartment's upstairs," Shiro rasped.

"I don't usually just go like this." Curtis kissed him in between his words. "I start with dinner first. Some dates. Just -" he let out a low sigh as Shiro's tongue caressed his healed lip. "I want you to know that."

Shiro broke off the kiss so they could lean forehead to forehead.

"I _never_ jump in like this," Shiro amusedly smiled. "I'm a planner, through and through."

Curtis grinned. "A plan-ter?"

"Puns already? We just met."

"The moment felt right."

Shiro laughed again then took Curtis' hand. Curtis followed him to another door leading upstairs.

"Yeah it does."

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AN: Shiro doing something delicate is such a soft image. :) How could Curtis resist? (Especially in tight jeans. XD )


End file.
